Heart of Fire
by Booknerd101
Summary: Lord Shen has returned, and has set his eyes on a new target. The Furious Five find themselves helpless, and Po must learn to harness a new power that will change everything, if it doesn't kill him first. Humanized.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello, everyone! Welcome to my first Kung Fu Panda story!**

**This is going to feature my OC, Krystal Amortentia Black Raven Song, who is an orphan with super-strength, and is amazing at Kung Fu. She is living at the Jade Palace, and all the guys there are hopelessly in love with her, including some of the older ones. She has floor length black hair with electric blue streaks, and her eyes are either icy blue like sapphires, or a deep hazel, depending on the light. **

_**Just kidding! **_**You all can relax. There are no OC's in this story! Yet.**

**_An important thing for you to note before you begin reading!: _This is a HUMANIZED KFP story, so the characters and all others described are HUMAN! Now, if you don't like that sort of thing, I guess you can ignore it, but all descriptions will include HUMAN features! Get it? Got it? Good.**

**I would like to thank my soulmate: LTspade, for unintentionally helping to get this story off the ground. Go read his story. Do it.**

**So, boys and girls, ladies and gents, turn up your favorite soundtrack, sit back, and prepare yourselves, 'cause it's gonna be a bumpy ride!**

**XxX**

_Prologue_

It was bloody cold. The snow lay on the ground in thick blankets, and still more was falling. The paths at times were unmanageable, with snow built up higher than the tallest of them. And not to mention every single aforementioned path through the mountains was _narrow _and ran along the bloody _cliff-side,_ so they were impossible _and _dangerous.

These thoughts and others less censored passed through the five travelers' minds as they trudged through the thick snow, climbing higher and higher in the mountains. They were so heavily bundled that you could hardly see their faces, or their bodily structures, or them. Occasionally the snow would give out under one of them and they would sink suddenly, and have to be pulled out by one of the others, muttering muffled curses lost in the folds of their clothes and in the howling wind.

The tallest of the travelers was carrying the smallest on his back, but was still having little trouble walking on to surface of the snow, earning dirty looks from the rest of the party. The smallest member had been lost under the snow so many times he was now clinging to the former's shoulders.

The remaining three in the party, unlike their taller companion, couldn't seem to stay above the surface of the snow. The leader, a woman, trudged at the head of the group with a determined look on what could be seen of her face, taking every slip-up in stride and fighting her way forward. Another woman, walking behind the leader, was at times almost completely lost under the snow, but managed to make progress. And the last party member, a man, lagged behind, cursing violently at whatever gods would come to his mind.

"Almost there!" the leader called back.

"Why can't we save villages on beaches, or tropical islands, or something?" the man in the back of the party moaned. "Why must every village in peril be on top of a bloody _mountain?"_

"Why do you _think_?" Mantis rolled his eyes- his tone of voice implied that he did, at least.

"Suck it up, Monkey," Crane smirked –well, it sounded like he was smirking. He was walking behind Viper, his feet barely made imprints on the snow. "Kung Fu warriors don't complain!" Mantis laughed from his perch on Crane's back.

Monkey began to curse wildly at their backs, in every language he knew. (More than you might think.)

"Monkey!" Viper scolded, looking back at him. "If Master Shifu could hear you…"

"Well, he can't, can he?" Monkey muttered. But he fell silent.

"One more mile," Tigress had completely ignored the entire exchange. The whole party moaned. "Babies," she muttered.

The remainder of the trip was spent in silence. At last the path widened out and flowed into a little cobbled path cleared away of snow.

"Any way we could get them to do the rest of the path?" Monkey complained.

Tigress was looking around for villagers. The path led them along until they came to a wooden gate, presumably the entrance to the village. To their surprise there were no villagers guarding it.

"If it's under attack, why aren't they watching the entrances?" Crane was confused.

"Hush." Tigress knocked on the gate.

After a few minutes the gate creaked open, and a small gatekeeper poked his head out. "What can we do for you fine folk?" he bumbled.

The five traded dubious glances. "We were informed that this village was under attack from bandits," Tigress said.

The gatekeeper looked shocked. "No, no- not us! We never get bandits… too far of a climb, you see!" he looked them over, "why, you're the first visitors we've had in months!"

Tigress mulled that over for a moment. Then she smiled- well, you could see her cheeks move at least- and bowed respectfully. "Do not mistake us- we are glad to find you all safe—nonetheless, we have come a long way for nothing, and are tired. Could we have food and a place to sleep for a night, at the least?"

The gatekeeper seemed affronted. "Do not mistake _us, _dear lady! The few visitors we have, we do not turn away! They are treated with kindness and respect! You will stay as long as you like!" he opened the gate fully and ushered the five inside. "I will take you to our _best _inn, where you will be treated with the most tender care and comfort!"

"All _right_!" Mantis looked ecstatic.

The tiny little town consisted of one street lined with shops, taverns, and residences that rested on stilts above the ground, with the built-up snow on the street level shoved underneath them. The townsfolk milled about on the street, which was cleared of snow. Workers with shovels would emerge every so often to clear away the more recent fallen snow. It was a clean, efficient, little town, and everything was perfectly normal.

It was driving Tigress crazy.

"Something is _wrong _here!" she hissed at Crane. Mantis had long since jumped off his back to go talk with the considerably happier Monkey.

"But everything's so… quaint," Crane said. "Maybe Master Shifu made a mistake."

"That's just it!" Tigress exclaimed. "He doesn't _make _mistakes like this—he said there were bandits, so _where are the bandits?"_

"Calm down," Crane said mildly. "We'll get to the bottom of it."

The inn the gatekeeper led them to boasted a massive fireplace at one end, so it seemed at least half of the townsfolk were gathered inside. When the five entered they were surprised to note that the conversations didn't even waver; a few nodded in their direction, some called out greetings, but that was all.

They found a table in the corner, away from the masses. "I thought they said they don't get many visitors," Viper said, leaning in close so only they could hear.

"They really took us in stride," Crane mused.

"I'm telling you, this is wrong," Tigress hissed. "I have this feeling that there's something we're missing,"

"_I'm _missing the big guy's noodle soup," Mantis sighed as the inn-keep brought them their dinner. "No one makes it like he does…"

"He's not such a big guy anymore, remember?" Monkey reminded him.

"_Po!" _Tigress exclaimed, and then lowered her voice again when people glanced in her direction. "That's what it is; I couldn't put my finger on it. Po's the one I have a bad feeling about."

"What about Po?" Crane asked. "I'm sure he's fine at the palace by himself, Shifu's there."

Tigress furrowed her brow, and then put her chin in her hand, "you guys have to feel it, too…"

"You're right," Monkey said, unexpectedly. "It's like that gut feeling you get when you try and convince yourself you have everything until you realize you don't."

Tigress looked at him for a moment. Then she stood up abruptly. "Let's go outside. I need some fresh air.

Mantis complained, "But it's cold out there-" then he caught Tigress' look. "I like the cold."

Once they were free of the crowded inn, the five huddled in a circle.

"You know what, Tigress?" Viper said through her thick scarf. "I'm starting to get that weird feeling, too."

There was a strange buzzing, just far off enough for Tigress to be unable to pinpoint what it was. She shook it from her mind.

"I think we should leave," she said instead, "soon."

The other four nodded.

"Maybe Shifu's Geese network was mistaken," Viper said, referring to the messenger service that referred to themselves and the Carrier Geese.

"They've never been wrong before," Crane mused.

The buzzing was getting louder, more insistent. Tigress frowned, and resisted the urge to swat at her ear.

"All agreed, then? We leave?" Tigress said. "I don't want to spend the night."

"As much as it pains me to say it," Monkey agreed, "I want to get the heck out of here."

The buzzing was very loud, now.

Crane yawned "We should at least -" _thwack! _He cried out and went to his knees, clutching his arm, the sleeve of which was blossoming red. Tigress saw a shaft embedded in his arm just under his shoulder.

It all started to happen very fast.

"_Crane!" _Viper screamed, kneeling down beside him.

"No! Viper, Monkey, Mantis, go find the archer!" Tigress ordered. "I'll stay with him."

The other three dashed off, and Tigress knelt down to look at Crane's arm. "How do you feel?"

Crane was wide-eyed and perspiring slightly. The shaft had punctured his thick winter clothing and stuck in his arm. Upon examination of his wound, Tigress saw with some horror that he was losing a lot of blood, fast.

"Slightly… surprised," he gasped. "…What just happened…?"

"Just stay still," Tigress ordered. "I can't pull it out; you'll bleed to death,"

"…Thought that was already an issue…" Tigress realized too late that Crane was about to pass out. He slumped over and she cradled him in her arms. She glanced in the direction the other Five had gone, realizing again too late that it had been a mistake to send them away, that Crane needed help and she couldn't do it alone…

Feeling helpless, she examined the little of the shaft she could see. To her surprise, it wasn't a bandit's crossbow shaft as she had at first assumed.

It was an _assassin's _shaft; sleek, slender, and… barbed. She cursed viciously. Someone legitimately had tried to kill Crane, and there was no saying that the other Five weren't targets as well.

There weren't bandits in this quaint little town… there had never been, just as the gatekeeper had insisted. Someone had set them up.

And what did that mean for Po?

**XxX**

**A/N: It's purposely vague. It's a prologue. Please R&R, this thing can't be perfect, so I need all your help to make it that way!**


	2. Of bandits, noodle shops, and stairs

**A/N: Well, hello again! Welcome to part numero dos of this epic drama!**

**We're going to take a step back and get some context for that last chapter. What does that mean? It _means _that you don't get to find out what happened to Crane, or what was going on with Po at that time, for a couple chapters yet! **

**But you will, I promise.**

**Special thanks to my partner-in-crime LTspade, for promoting this story in his story 'The Last Farewell Ride'. It's seriously awesome.**

**And more special thanks to Hans Zimmer, for providing the inspiration for the first bit of this chapter in the song "Hero" on the KFP soundtrack. Oh, Hans Zimmer, how I love thee.**

_**REMEMBER: **_**humanized! And now that I mention it, I am going to do something special for you guys. Sometime in the future I will post, on my DeviantART account, drawings of what I think the characters look like humanized. All you have to do is go here: .com/ sometime after this week to have a look!**

**So, ladies and gents, get your favorite snacks, put on your favorite soundtrack, and put your feet up; we're gonna get started!**

**XxX**

_**Six Days Earlier**_

The man pressed the child's neck into the wall. The street was completely empty; the citizens of the Valley of Peace had all retired for dinner. The child's small feet dangled nearly four feet off the ground.

"And where, exactly, _is _your father?" he snarled, neck muscles bulging.

"Dunno," the child replied. "Out?"

The big man glanced back at his companions, who waited farther down the street. He huffed, visibly trying to keep his temper in check.

"Out, _where?"_

"Dunno."

"Listen, kid-"

"Mommy said not to talk to strangers." The kid talked tough, but the big man saw the fear in his eyes.

The big man was seriously pissed now. He squeezed the kid's neck, just a little, and had the satisfaction of seeing the child's eyes widen a fraction.

"I didn't come all the way from Gongmen to this little haystack of a town just so some _kid _can smart-mouth me! _Where is your father?"_

"_Hey!"_

This voice was new. The man's head whipped around, startled, towards the opposite end of the street, where a young man stood leaning against the wall. He had _not _been there five seconds ago.

"Why don't-cha let the kid go?" the young man said amiably. He smirked.

The big man looked back at his companions again. Laughter bubbled up in his throat.

"Take a hike." He turned back to the kid, not bothering to give the presumptuous young man any more of his attention.

"Buddy," the voice came again. "I'm not gonna ask again."

"Beat it!" the big man was annoyed now. He looked over at his companions and jerked his head in the young man's direction. They began to move forward, cracking their knuckles.

There was an amused edge to the young man's voice now. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"So what if we're not?" but now the big man had pause. Was this weirdo some high-esteemed council member, some high-ranking official's son or something? Should they move carefully? "What gave us away?"

The big man saw the guy smirk a little more. "Oh… nothing." The young man replied. "Just a hunch, really." The big man realized that since the last time he had looked, the young man had advanced a sizeable distance. But he still maintained the same posture, leaning idly against a doorframe. Smirking.

Then the big man got a good look at the stranger. He was moderately tall, and lean, but well-fit, as if he spent a great deal of time working out. He had a loose, worn-out, short-sleeved tan shirt on, with patchwork brown shorts with a striped waistband. His black hair was tied back at the base of his neck.

The big man frowned. "Bugger off, kid."

The young man was _still _smiling, but the grin had taken a sharp edge. "Let the kid go, and maybe we can all go for some noodles. My dad-"

He just will not give up! The thug gritted his teeth. He stepped back and threw the child over his shoulder. The little kid squeaked in fear. "We got business, punk," the big man spat at the stranger. "So do yourself a favor and mind your _own_ business, alright?"

The stranger showed his teeth in a feral smile. "But this _is _my business." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But, if you insist…" then he moved.

Faster than the big man could react, the stranger had cleared the final few feet remaining between them, and planted his foot squarely in the big man's chest. The powerful kick sent the man rocketing backwards, and the child flew out of his grasp.

With a quick spin to regain his balance, the stranger caught the child before he hit the ground, and deftly spun him onto his back, where the kid clutched his shoulders. The feral grin was still there. "Shall we?" he asked the big man, who was flat on his back.

The big man regained his breath. "Who _are _you?" he demanded. His companions were dumbstruck.

"The name's Po," the stranger replied nonchalantly. "You might have heard of me referred to as the… Dragon Warrior?"

The big man gulped. The name _was _vaguely familiar…. Had a 'Dragon Warrior' been mentioned at all in Gongmen? He cursed- of _course! _The Dragon Warrior had been the one to drive Lord Shen back out of the city!

The big man narrowed his eyes. He hadn't actually _seen _the Dragon Warrior when he'd been in Gongmen- how did he know this punk wasn't just posing?

He pulled himself to his feet. "You just made a _big _mistake, kid."

"Did I?" 'Po' seemed amused. "Remind me."

"You prepared to say bye-bye to your front teeth?" the man raised his fists.

"Not quite." The 'Dragon Warrior' launched himself forward. The big man didn't have time to dodge.

…No matter how hard he tried, later, the big man would never be able to recall those next few minutes…..

Po straightened up from his fighting stance. He blew his hair out of his eyes. The thug lay in an unconscious heap at his feet. "That was fun," he remarked.

The thug's meaty companions looked thunderstruck at the defeat of their leader. "Well?" Po asked. They took off.

"Looked like Gongmen material to me," Po mused. "Maybe me and the five'll take care of them later."

The kid was bouncing up and down on his back. "That was _awesome!"_ he squealed. "My favorite part was when you jumped off his shoulders and roundhouse-kicked his head!"

"It _was _awesome, wasn't it?" Po agreed. "Let's get you back to your parents- you got a mom around?"

"Yeah, yeah- at Mr. Ping's!" the kid said enthusiastically. "You know how to get there, right? Oh, man, wait till I tell Mom about this!"

_I hope I know how to get there… _Po thought. _Might need to get myself checked if I didn't…_

"So what was all that about your dad?"

"Oh, he was in Gongmen city a few weeks back and ended up owing some guys a lot of money."

"Those guys?"

"Yep. But you showed 'em!"

"You bet I did," Po grinned. He was already picturing how he was going to describe the entire fight to the Five.

**XxX**

They set off for Mr. Ping's together. The kid was still exulting over Po's victory when they reached the little noodle shop. Mr. Ping was there; the little man dashed between tables, deftly balancing bowls of soup on his arms and head.

When Po and the kid cleared the threshold, the restaurant burst into cheers. _"Dragon Warrior!" "Po, my man!" _Po acknowledged them with a grin. "Hey, everyone!"

The kid jumped off his back, and ran in the direction of an older woman. "Mommy!" the kid screeched happily. "The Dragon Warrior just saved me from some thugs! It was awesome! He totally kicked butt!"

His mother smiled. "Did you thank him?"

The kid turned red. "Thank you Master Po." He buried his face in his mother's chest.

Po grinned wider. "No problemo, kiddo!"

"Po!" Mr. Ping rushed up to him. The diminutive man barely cleared Po's stomach. "I haven't seen you in a week! How have you been?"

"Great, Dad." Po bent down and hugged his father. "Sorry I haven't been here- Master Shifu is teaching us a new technique and training's gotten intense- so I've been sleeping up at the palace."

"That's wonderful!" Ping exclaimed. "All those stairs would've worn you out any-"then he got a good look at his son. "Goodness, me! Look at _you_! So fit!"

Po rubbed his neck. It was true- in the past six months, he'd really shaped up. All the fat in his belly had been replaced with hard muscles, and he'd never been so lean. "Thanks, Dad- I've been working hard."

"Good, good! I'm-" Mr. Ping was interrupted by someone calling out for more soup. "Coming! My, we're busy today… are you staying to help out?"

"No, sorry. Gotta get back to the palace- Master Shifu will probably want me back…?" _To kill me…. "_I kinda wasn't supposed to leave."

"Oh, well, stop by sooner next time, you hear me?" Mr. Ping rapped him on the head with a ladle. "Go on, now! Don't want to keep him waiting, do we?"

"Bye!" Po laughed, and then dashed out of the restaurant, leaving his father laughing and shaking his head behind him.

**XxX**

_The stairs are so _easy _now…. _Po thought triumphantly as he jogged up them. When he'd first climbed these steps, it'd taken him a half-hour to reach the top. Now he cleared them in a little less than ten minutes.

He himself still couldn't believe how in shape he was. Occasionally he would pass a mirror, and catch a glimpse of himself, and have to do a double take because he still couldn't believe it was him. Whenever he did this in the presence of the Five, Monkey would laugh at him, Mantis would tell him to "stop checking himself out" and Crane would just snicker.

Climbing the stairs usually wasn't a sweat, but it was bloody hot this evening so Po was sweating profusely when he reached the Palace.

"Damn… heat wave…" he cursed.

"Hey, Po!" Monkey called from across the courtyard. He crossed it in a few long strides. "Shifu's been looking for you all _day, _man!"

Po sighed. "I know… I just went down to see my dad, and then I… well, I'll tell you all later."

Monkey grinned. "Is it good?"

Po grinned back. "Ohh, yeah."

"Right on!" Monkey turned and set off for the main hall of the Jade Palace. "Let's go, man, Shifu already wants to kill you for being gone all day." Po groaned.

"So, you missed him telling all of us- apparently there's this village way up in the mountains that's been having _bandit _trouble."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. He wants us, the Five, to go help them out."

"Should be fun. I haven't taken out serious bandits since-"

"That's the thing. Shifu doesn't want you to go."

Po stopped. "_What? _But I'm the Dragon Warrior!"

"Exactly. Shifu says that your duties are here, in the Valley."

"That's so uncool!"

Monkey patted his back. "You'll get another chance, man. We can handle it Five-style,"

Po had to admit that sounded seriously awesome. "You'll tell me how it goes?"

"'Course," Monkey gave him an encouraging smile.

"_Po!" _he spun and saw Tigress jogging towards him. "Yeah?" he called back.

She reached him in a few swift strides –_Damn, _Po thought, _I gotta figure out how everyone but me moves so fast. _"You heard?" Tigress asked bluntly.

"That you're leaving?" Po replied, "Yeah, Monkey told me."

"Right. Well, before we leave, you and I are going to spar." Tigress almost smiled.

Po gulped. Spars with Tigress never ended well- for him.

"Okay," he said weakly. Monkey laughed.

**XxX**

A tall, pale, white-robed figure paced restlessly across the worn floorboards of his makeshift base. Every so often he would glance out the windows, as if waiting impatiently for someone. After some time he hissed in satisfaction and spun away from the window as a knock sounded from his door.

"Lord Shen?" came a tentative voice, muffled by the wood of the door.

"Enter," Shen ordered.

The door swung open, and a tall, slim, man entered. His brown tunic had a white goose embroidered on it.

"Well?" Shen demanded.

"We have given Shifu the information, my Lord," the Carrier Goose said. "He will be sending the Five out within the week."

"And the Dragon Warrior?"

"Will be remaining in the Valley. Shifu insists that his duties lie there, and not outside it."

"Stuck-up old fool," Shen sneered. "Inform my Wolves that the attack will begin within a fortnight."

"Yes, my Lord," the messenger bowed ducked out.

_It's all coming together, _Shen thought triumphantly. _Soon I'll control this pitiful little Valley, which will make a nice stepping-stone for the rest of China._

He chuckled to himself. This was going to be fun.

**XxX**

**A/N: Ooh, the suspense! Will Po ever truly master the stairs? Will Tigress kick his butt? Will Monkey ever find love? Find all this out and more in chapter three of this heartwarming, epic, drama. Read n' Review, it'll only take but a moment!**

**OH- and before I forget, if you can tell me WHAT movie the first part of the LAST chapter was a direct homage to, you'll get a free virtual cookie, fresh baked from the ovens of my computer! Love you guys! **


	3. The Spar

**A/N: This chapter is brought to you by Cabbages R Us, for all your cabbage and cabbage-related needs. Have a cabbage problem? Call 1800-Cabbaholics or go online to .**

**I personally welcome you. Yes, you. You right there. I am ever so glad you're here.**

**I promised myself I would have this chapter at/by Friday, and here it is! *Applause* This chapter annoyed me to no end, but I think it came out okay. Last chapter of buildup, I promise! *pinkie swear***

**Special thanks to Frankie, RidingtheRoughWaters, Bloodycobra, and my internet soulmate, LTspade, my wonderful reviewers. I promise that as long as you're signed in, I will reply to you. And if you simply favorite, I'll reply to you anyway! And if by some miracle there are too many for this to happen, I will thank you here! Much love! **

**This chapter's spar was inspired by the song "Training Po" on the KFP soundtrack. This story is dedicated to Hans Zimmer, the God of Music. LTspade, I had already thought of this spar before I read your story, so shush.**

***Story is best enjoyed with a soundtrack of your choice, and with the consumption of chocolate***

**XxX**

Three kung-fu masters made their way nonchalantly towards the training hall, in no hurry whatsoever, chatting idly.

"…And Master Shifu said it would take three days to get there," the tallest of the three finished.

"Three _days?" _another complained. He was of middling height compared to his companions. "Geez!"

"Bet you three coins Crane loses his hat at least once during the hike up," the last master was almost half the second companion's height. Crane cuffed the back of his head.

Monkey was dubious. "Five coins. I've never seen him lose it once."

"You're on!" Mantis crowed. Crane sighed in exasperation.

"And speaking of bets…" Monkey trailed off suggestively.

Mantis' eyes glinted. "I'm upping the wager to ten coins on that one," he smiled, "Tigress is going to lay Po on his butt… _again."_

As soon as the topic shifted off him Crane's annoyance evaporated. "I'm actually with Monkey on this one. Have you seen him fight Shifu?"

"Po can't beat Shifu."

"But he comes damn close. He'll get him one of these days, you'll see."

Mantis raised an eyebrow. "You gonna put your money where your mouth is, bird-man?"

Crane rolled his eyes. "I don't gamble."

Mantis snorted. "Right." he turned to Monkey. "Well?"

"_Twenty _coins Po knocks Tigress clean off the high post." Monkey smirked.

Mantis' eyes widened. "High p—they're fighting on the _high post?_" he laughed incredulously. "Twenty-five coins, then! No one stands a chance against Tigress on the high post!"

"You'd think Po wasn't your friend," Crane looked down on Mantis' head. Crane usually stood a head taller than most people- and most people where twice as tall as Mantis. Yet for the almost comical height difference, they were very close friends. "Yet, with you, this is the only way one could tell. You make bets against _me _at least once a week."

"It's an expression of deepest love," Mantis replied sarcastically. "But, in all seriousness, I'm dead broke."

"What else is new?" Monkey smirked. Mantis kicked his leg.

Monkey hopped away comically, "ooh, watch it there, big guy, you almost got my knee!"

By the time they reached the training hall, Monkey and Mantis had acquired eleven bruises between them, but they were both laughing their heads off.

Tigress and Viper were already there warming up. Tigress, as usual, was stone-faced, but she exuded that self-satisfied air of an impending butt-kicking. She gave them a nod in greeting, but didn't even pause in her warm-up exercises. Viper flashed them a smile from her one-handed perch upside-down on an upright stick.

"Good morning, students," Master Shifu said from behind them. The diminutive kung-fu master slid past them into the hall.

"Master," the Five said in unison, Tigress stopping in her exercises to bow respectfully.

"Are we ready for this morning's spar?" Shifu looked around. "Where's Po?"

"Here!" everyone turned and saw Po slide to a stop just inside the double doors. He held up one hand, doubled over, and put his hands on his knees, breathing hard. "Sprinted… all the way up the stairs…"

"Why were you in the village?" Shifu frowned.

"Buying… bean buns…"

"Po, we _have _bean buns," Tigress sighed.

Po frowned. "Since…when…?"

"_Since _we bought them _three days ago._"

"…Oh." Po regained his breath. "Woops."

Shifu smacked his face with the palm of his hand. "Disregarding Po's general idiocy, are you both ready?"

Po's embarrassment vanished. His face broke out in a wide grin. "Let's assume I stand half a chance, and get on with it!"

"You _do _stand half a chance, Po," Viper said sweetly. Under her gentle support you could never guess her encouragement was actually in part due to the surprisingly steep bet with Mantis the night before in Po's favor. Crane felt that he would not have been at all surprised to learn he was only one in the Jade Palace who didn't gamble. Sometimes he felt that his self-professed virtues were futile.

"Let's do it, Master _Panda," _Tigress said challengingly. The sly humor surprised everyone, especially with the use of the nickname Po earned when he received two black eyes trying to learn the more delicate aspects of Bear Style, and hadn't lived down since.

"You're on, Kitty," Po's eyes narrowed and his mouth split into a wicked grin.

The High Post was nothing more than a rounded beam stretching across the ceiling of the training hall. Handholds on either wall allowed combatants to climb on top of it. It was sparring… with a twist.

The rules were simple. The first one to fall off onto the cushioned mat below lost. Anything goes.

Tigress climbed the handholds with feral grace, smoothly taking her position on the post. Po was slightly less graceful, but displayed considerable strength when he reached the top in less time than Tigress had. She raised a slender eyebrow.

The beam was too narrow to stand completely facing each other. Po put his right foot forward, and bent his knee, thrusting one arm forward in the typical 'ready' gesture. Tigress mirrored him. The other masters gathered underneath at a safe distance –there was a possibility of someone falling on them- and waited with anticipation.

"Ready?" Master Shifu called up. The combatants nodded tersely. "…_Fight_!"

Nothing happened for a tense moment, as Po and Tigress eyed each other- then Tigress launched forward on her right leg and aimed a hit at Po's left side. He dodged, and swung around her on the beam, coming up behind her. She spun and ducked under his swinging kick.

Another moment was spent eying each other. Po slowly leaned right, then, quicker then blinking, swung his left leg at her, and slid under her returning parry.

Taking advantage of his distracted motion, Tigress planted a foot in his back, and he flew along the beam, only salvaging himself with a small flip ending in a crouch. In a flash he was back-flipping over another one of Tigress' lunges.

They paused a single second, too quickly for the onlookers to catch, their gazes locked. Then Po danced along the beam, cartwheeled, and tried to catch Tigress in the head. But she, too, had moved, and Po ended up catching her shoulders and vaulting over her.

Barely five seconds had passed since the start of the fight.

Both of Tigress' feet left the beam as she launched forward and put both her hands in Po's chest, intending to throw him backward: but he twisted left and Tigress flew past him. She spun and landed in a crouch.

"Impressive so far, _Dragon Warrior," _she smirked, intending to throw him off a little with calculated banter.

But she failed to realize that Po lived for banter. "Oh, that?" he cocked his head. "That was just warm-up!" on the last word he flew forward and slid along the beam towards Tigress' feet. Tigress leaped over his attack and swung a round-house kick at his head that he just barely dodged.

"Are we going to fight or are we just going to jump over each other for another hour?" Tigress taunted. That's when the acrobatics stopped and the real fight began.

Po and Tigress were a blur of exchanged punches and kicks, so much so that the onlookers could scarcely tell where one stopped and the other started.

Against anyone less experienced than Tigress, Po's attack would be formidable, deadly, even. He attacked with formidable and unpredictable ruthlessness, yet with such grace and style that it was nearly impossible to formulate a defense against him. But Tigress _knew _Po, had even had a hand in his training, so parrying his swiftest attacks and dodging his slowest ones was possible- but not easy, not by a long shot.

And there was one catch- Po progressively got _better _as he gained momentum in a fight. Such was exemplified in the savagely powerful kick that nearly sent Tigress rocketing towards the floor- and through it.

Catching the feral gleam in Po's eyes just then, Tigress suddenly knew what was going to happen before it did.

Po swung right with his fist, and then as Tigress moved to dodge left he suddenly switched directions and swept under her feet with his left leg- _he had feinted. _Too slow to react, her feet flew out from under her.

She almost recovered herself—then she saw Po's foot coming. She didn't have a chance.

His powerful kick planted square in her chest, and having no real footing, she flew back—and straight off the beam.

She landed hard on the floor, her breath rushing out of her. She lay stunned.

Po hopped down off the beam and landed lightly on the mat. The combat fervor that had built up in him was slowly fading away, and was rapidly being replaced by amazement. _Had he just… no way…_

Monkey gave Mantis a significant look. The diminutive master sighed and began digging in his pockets.

Po knelt next to Tigress and offered her his hand. She took it and Po gently pulled her to her feet.

"That was really something," she was too full of pride for her protégée to care that Po had more or less laid her on her butt.

Po's mouth quirked up at one corner, "I'd say it was… awesome."

"Don't overdo it." Tigress cuffed his shoulder.

Monkey received his coins. Behind Mantis' back he and Crane exchanged a covert high-five.

"You're the man, Po!" Monkey crowed. Po grinned at him, but on the inside he felt something had changed. It felt as if some door deep within Po had been thrown open, and he could only sense yawning blackness beyond it. In a strange way it made him feel small.

But no one noticed his unease; or he covered it up exceptionally well. "This victory deserves victory noodles!" Mantis had gotten over his loss enough to feel happy for Po. "Specifically, Po's noodles."

Tigress patted Po's back. "One more round of soup before we leave on our mission?"

Po tried to make his smile look as sincere as he could. "You got it!"

**XxX**

The Five shouldered their bags, cursing inwardly at the ridiculous amount of winter clothing they had to bring.

"I'd forgotten how much I hate shoes," Crane frowned at the heavy walking shoes he was forced to wear in contrast to the wrappings he usually made do with.

"Oh, suck it up," Monkey said acidly. Shifu had made him wear a shirt.

They turned for the stairs. Tigress looked back at Po, and smiled a little. "Hold the fort, Po. We'll see you in a week."

Po smiled. "Tell Monkey he might as well buy more almond cookies on his way back in."

Tigress chuckled. "Bye, Po." She followed the others through the gate and down the stairs. Viper turned and waved; Po waved back, but the gesture felt almost half-hearted. The double doors swung shut behind them.

Po stood for a moment in the courtyard, suddenly feeling very small. He felt sick, but he didn't know why. The Five had left without him before, why did it feel so wrong now?

He turned and walked back across the courtyard, head down, not really caring where he was going. Therefore he was surprised when he found himself in front of the doors to the Hall of Heroes. Possessed of some compulsion, he pushed open the doors and slid inside.

It was all exactly as it usually was; a long hall lined with ornate pillars ending in a dais with a small pool lined with candles. Ancient kung-fu relics were tucked in the spaces in between the pillars. The light was faintly green.

Po remembered how excited he had been the first time he came in here. He had barely been able to contain himself from bouncing from artifact to artifact like an excited schoolchild in a candy store. Now all he felt was an immeasurable foreboding and the inward sense of a door opening wider and wider.

One particular relic drew his attention. The Sword of Heroes sat in its stand where it had always been, but to Po it seemed to have a glow that attracted him like the kitchen never could.

He drew close to it, and held his hands close to it. The open door inside him remained, but now it seemed a light was emanating from within it, trying to escape towards the Sword. The "glow" from the sword and the light almost complemented each other, as if they existed only for each other.

Po could make neither head nor tail of it all.

"Po," Po spun and realized Shifu had virtually materialized behind him.

"Master, I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me-"

Shifu ignored this. "Something's changed."

Po was confused. "Excuse me?"

Shifu narrowed his eyes, studying Po as if here were an interesting piece of art. "Something inside of you has been unlocked, and is ready. But, what?"

"After the fight," Po said slowly, "I had never felt so… alive. But now all I feel is empty. But then I came in here, and now I feel almost whole again."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "What's happening to me?"

Shifu studied the Sword behind Po. "The Sword of Heroes has many secrets and powers even the masters of old could not guess at." He gave Po a warm smile. "You are coming into the true powers of the Dragon Warrior and of the kung-fu warrior, as well. It is nothing to be frightened of." He looked straight at Po. "You know you can always talk to me when you feel this way; I _am _your Master, it is what I'm here for."

Po smiled in return, and it was honestly genuine. "Of course, Master."

He turned for the exit, gesturing for Po to follow. "Let us meditate. Many answers can be found through the clearing of the mind."

**XxX**

A huge crowd had gathered in front of Lord Shen's hideout, consisting of mercenaries from the Wolf Guild; Shen's old henchmen.

"Wolves!" Lord Shen called to the crowd. "In the months since we were defeated, how have you and yours been treated?"

"Like mud!" the mercenaries shouted back. "Like animals!"

"Precisely!" Shen crowed. "And have the Wolves not gone legitimate since the selfsame defeat?"

"_Yes!" _they screamed angrily.

"_Exactly." _Shen exulted. "So, in my not-so-_humble _opinion, it's time for your—_our- _revenge, no?"

The crowd roared. "The _Furious Five _have left the Valley of Peace." Shen sneered. "It is now ripe for the plucking. Are you ready?"

The roar was deafening. Shen smirked. Sometimes it really was too easy. He closed his eyes and savored the sound of his mercenaries' adoration. His victory over the weak, unsuspecting Valley of Fools was coming very soon.

He opened his eyes and addressed his army once more. "In three days we march. In three days we win!"

Such a _sweet _sound.

**XxX**

**A/N: Whelp, there it is. Anyone who's taking the trouble to read this story, much love! Take a moment or two and give me some feedback!**

**SIDE NOTE: It has been decided by the great OCD Gods that there shalt be fourteen chapters. They have spoken!**

**Till next time, loves!**


	4. Chases, knives, roofs, and wounds

**A/N: This is what you've _all _been waiting for. Yes. It is. From the very beginning you've yearned for this very chapter! And I, your benign, benevolent, benefactor, have given it to you! You may express your gratitude in the presentation of chocolates.**

**So! Chapter four. (Which is actually chapter three because chapter one is a prologue- but I don't think about it 'cause then my OCD starts to act up.) There isn't a specific song that inspired this chapter... Unless you count the song that was playing while I was writing it and still is playing as I type this: "Tai Lung Escapes", from the KFP soundtrack by the illustrious Hans Zimmer and John Powell; the gods of music. I like using semicolons, you'll find that out in this chapter, hur hur hur.**

**If I didn't reply to your review in any of the previous chapter, it's either because you _didn't sign in _(grrrr...), or I just didn't get around to it. No matter! Just try again this chapter! I'll give you a free internet cookie!**

**Many thanks to all my reviewers, and to my internet soulmate LTspade, who's seriously awesome story is what got me to finally get this chapter done. **

**One more small note- school has just started, so updates will be at _least _a week in coming. I'm sorry, but there it is. I promise you, though, this story _will _come to its conclusion: I have made a _commitment! _(I'm getting good with the ctrl-i. Can you tell?) **

**So, without further ado, turn on your favorite soundtrack, put your feet up, get all comfy! I bring you: Chapter Four(three)!**

**XxX**

Monkey, Viper, and Mantis barreled around a corner and sprinted up an alley. The cobbled ground, while cleared of snow, was still slippery and the three had to fight to keep their footing.

There was the barest whisper of the edge of a cloak whipping around a corner ahead of them; this was their only clue that they were going in the right direction.

Every turn they practically flew around brought them onto a smaller street. Maneuverability was becoming scarce, coupled with the fact that their movement was also greatly impeded by their heavy winter clothing.

The wind was picking up speed, tearing at their clothes and stinging the exposed portions of their skin as they ran. The snow was falling harder, and the more alleys they ran through the more snow there was to get in their way. There was only one major street in the entire village, but the network of homes, small shops, and storehouses propped up on stilts made for a veritable maze.

The chase seemed to be going on forever, and the three masters were close to despairing of catching the assassin. Glimpses were becoming scarce as the killer gained ground. The figure seemed much more at ease in the terrain then they did.

The chase ended in an abrupt halt as the path turned sharply and they came face-to-face with the stone face of the village wall; Monkey skidded to a stop barely inches from the stone, and Mantis barely avoided colliding with him.

"Where did he…?" Monkey spun around helplessly. The assassin was nowhere to be seen.

"There!"Viper cried out, pointing at the rooftops. A figure could just be made out flitting across the top of a shop just above them.

Monkey leaped onto the deck of a storehouse, skidding, and grabbed a broom, using it to vault onto the rooftop. Behind him Mantis and Viper followed suit.

The sloping roofs of the village were designed ingeniously by the villagers to repel snow; it would be directed to slide off into the collective snow-piles, to be swept up by the villagers, and the tiles were thick and smooth to prevent collapse. It was all very well planned and thought-out; it was a very tidy village.

However, constant contact with the elements left the roof-tops slick and wet. It took all the concentration of the three masters not to take a wrong step that would send them sliding off the roof to the unforgiving street below.

The assassin had a three-building head-start on them. The masters' thick-soled boots dislodged rebelliously clinging snow as they dashed across the rooftops, leaping deftly from building to building.

For ten minutes the chase went on, with the assassin always just barely in their line of sight, the three masters following as best they could.

But suddenly they couldn't see the assassin anymore. They slid to an uncertain stop and whirled around; trying to judge which way the assassin had disappeared to.

Suddenly a whistling was heard somewhere to their right; Viper barely managed to twist out of the way as a knife flashed by a millimeter from her belly. The three whirled as the black-cloaked figure shot out from behind a chimney, wielding knives pulled from hidden places in their cloak.

Monkey flew forward, whipping across the tiles towards the assassin. He just avoided a second knife flung at him; it barely scraped the outermost layer on his winter clothing.

An image flashed into Monkey's mind: it was Crane, and blood was pouring down his arm. Cold rage washed through him and he sped up and aimed a roundhouse kick at the assassin's legs.

The assassin vaulted straight over this attack and struck Monkey's torso with a spinning kick that sent Monkey flying towards the edge of the roof.

That was Mantis' cue. The small man leapt forward and struck the back of the assassin's knees, kicking his legs out from under him. Viper stepped in and slammed him in the chest with her fist as he fell. The assassin hit the ground, hard, and the breath knocked out of him in an audible _whoosh._

But the split second of vulnerability vanished and the assassin rolled out from under Viper and leapt to his feet, drew another knife, and flung it. Time slowed; Viper swung and struck the dull edge of the blade and caught it as it spun, flipping it around. She flung the handle of the knife and Mantis caught it as he swung around the assassin's other side.

Gripping the hilt with the blade pointing inwards toward his forearm, Mantis jabbed backhanded at a nonlethal but incapacitating spot in the assassin's chest, sinking in hard.

The assassin twisted aside at the last second, knocking the blade aside and swinging his foot at Mantis' face. Mantis ducked under and swung his leg in a retaliating kick aimed at the assassin's midriff.

It struck the man hard, throwing him back a few feet, straight towards Viper, who roundhouse-kicked him in the back.

Slightly stunned, the assassin attempted to regain his footing, but slipped on the slick tiles and slid off the edge of the roof, barely managing to grab an ice-crusted tile to prevent his fall.

But suddenly Monkey was there, standing above him. The assassin tried to swing himself up, but was thwarted as the kung-fu master's foot planted square in his face, snapping his head back with a sickening_snap. _His grip on the roof slackened and he fell limply onto the snow far below.

Monkey swung down, landing lightly next to the assassin's sprawled figure. Mantis and Viper jumped after him.

The three masters knelt down next to the assassin and watched as the lights came back on in his eyes. The assassin blinked a couple times, then got a good look at the masters. A hard look overcame his features; he clenched his jaw. Then there was a sharp _snap_, as if one of his teeth had broken.

Realization dawned on Monkey's face. "_No!_-" but it was too late. The assassin's mouth filled with froth; he smiled bitterly and laughed as he died.

Monkey snarled and struck a wall with his fist. "_Dammit!"_

"Now we'll never know," Mantis said regretfully.

"We should get back to Tigress and Crane," Viper said softly. "There's nothing more we can do here."

Monkey kicked a bucket over. "It's my own damn fault for not paying attention back at the bloody inn."

"No, it isn't," Viper consoled. "If there's any blame, it would be all of ours' for not being watchful. Master Shifu would be ashamed."

"C'mon, let's go," Mantis urged. "Tigress's going to be blackening our names if we're not back to help her out." This was indisputable. The three masters turned dejectedly and made their way back to the inn.

**XxX**

The blood-flow was slackening, at least. But Tigress had a niggling suspicion that this was because he was running out of blood to bleed. But that was, she firmly told herself, childish.

Crane had been unconscious for a little under thirty minutes. She had managed to enlist the help of a suitably muscled passerby to help carry Crane up the inn's stairs to their room and into a bed. Normally Tigress could have managed this herself- had she not thrown Po around enough back when he was huge?- but now she could hardly think straight. _Normally _Tigress could keep a clear head in a crisis- had she not gotten Po out of every situation he had gotten himself into?- but it was all she could do to just make sure Crane didn't bleed to death.

She went through all the motions—she ripped off Crane's thick winter clothing, gently pulled out the shaft, cleaned the wound, used one of the sleeves from a spare shirt to bind it up, (one of his favorite shirts, too-_boy _was he going to be mad if he lived)… but her mind was elsewhere; all the way back at the Jade Palace.

An _assassin _had tried to kill them; one who had presumably known they were going to be in this village. Which meant that it was a set-up, someone had tried to get them out of the Palace to be dealt with. And with them out of the Jade Palace—

The door swung open. Tigress sprang up; ready for an assassin's repeat-attempt—she had been sitting in a chair next to the bed, completely lost in her thoughts. She relaxed as she saw it was only Monkey, Mantis, and Viper sliding morosely into the room.

At Tigress' questioning look Monkey shook his head. "The assassin killed himself before we could find out who he worked for." Tigress sighed in disappointment.

Monkey and Mantis fell into their beds dejectedly, but Viper slid into the chair Tigress had just vacated and gripped Crane's hand. "How is he?" the eyes she turned on Tigress were panicked.

Tigress was vaguely surprised at the sudden display of affection. "Better than he was. He's not bleeding as hard, at least."

Viper sighed in relief, and turned her attention to Crane, a look in her eyes that Tigress couldn't quite place.

Tigress found another chair, and fell into it. "So. What do you make of this?" she directed this at Monkey and Mantis.

Monkey sat cross-legged on his bed. "Set-up?"

Tigress nodded. "I know that much. But, who?"

Mantis had slid off his bed and was kneeling next to Crane's, examining his arm. "Someone who really doesn't like us?" Tigress shot him a disparaging glance, which he ignored.

"An old enemy," Viper put in, "one who's fought us before and knew that getting us out of the picture was the only way to win."

"But _who?_" Tigress rubbed her forehead. "Which of our numerous enemies has the sophistication to send_assassins _after us?"

"Shen." Monkey's eyes were bright with realization.

Tigress' eyes widened as what Monkey said clicked. "You're _right. _This practically screams Shen!"

Mantis was unwinding the bandages and examining the wound, his skilled healer's fingers probing it. "I thought Shen was dead."

"We assumed he was," Monkey mused. "But did we ever actually _see-?"_

"So Shen somehow knew we were leaving the Valley?" Viper asked.

"He didn't just _know,_" Tigress said, "he _planned _it… he set it all up!"

"How?" Mantis frowned. He was working one of his numerous medicines from his pack into Crane's arm. Viper was still gripping his hand tightly.

"Well… where did Shifu get the information?" Tigress replied.

"The Carrier Geese." Monkey answered promptly. "That messenger network he uses so often. They told him."

"They've betrayed us?" Viper said softly. Her gaze was trained on Crane.

"We have to assume so," Tigress began pacing back and forth across the room. "Either that or we blame Master Shifu." Her iron gaze dared anyone to suggest it. No one did.

Breaking the awkward silence that had descended on the room, Monkey spoke up again. "So, what's our next move?"

"As soon as we're able," Tigress tapped her chin. "Say, tomorrow; we leave. We get our butts back to the Palace and find out what the _hell _is going on."

"I like it," Mantis was re-bandaging Crane's arm. The bleeding had stopped entirely and the redness around the wound was noticeably paler. "Only problem is the 'soon as we're able' part… some of us won't be _able_, see." He looked significantly at Crane.

"You doubt your healing skill?" Monkey taunted. Mantis reddened. "_No—_I'm just looking out for him, is all."

"We don't have time for that." Tigress said icily. "We have to leave. Tomorrow. Will he be ready?"

Mantis' expression darkened at her tone. "Yes."

"Good." She turned her attention away from him. "Now, everyone get some rest. It's going to be a long hike."

**XxX**

When Crane returned to consciousness, he was extraordinarily confused. First, he was in a bed, (when had he gone to sleep?) second, his arm felt _great, _as if he could punch through walls with it, (for some reason he thought that was slightly wrong) and third, something was clenching his hand, something soft and warm yet firm at the same time.

He opened his eyes, and Viper's face swam into focus. She was smiling slightly, and there was worry, joy, and something else he couldn't quite identify in her eyes, all at once. She was the one gripping his hand, Crane noticed. Suddenly he felt that she was the most beautiful thing—human, creature, or object- he had ever seen. He smiled, too.

"You need to be more careful, next time," she whispered, leaning close. "You nearly scared the kung-fu out of… all of us." She bit her lip.

"We'll just have to spend the rest of our lives sliding around with our backs to walls and floors," Crane said hoarsely. "We'll always be safe, then."

Viper laughed. Crane noticed suddenly that it was very dark; it was the middle of the night.

She must have noticed him noticing. "You should go back to sleep," she ordered. With her free hand she brushed the hair off his forehead. "We're on the move tomorrow." Gratefully, Crane sank back into unconsciousness, the last thing he saw being Viper's gentle smile.

**XxX**

Shops burned. Houses fell to pieces, restaurants crumbled to ash. People screamed as windows smashed and loved ones fell dead to cruel attacks.

Mercenaries swarmed the streets, destroying, killing, and wreaking destruction. The completely unprepared villagers ran this way and that, incapable of mounting a defense as they were slaughtered. The mercenaries spared no one; mothers screamed as babies were rent in two before their eyes, spouses tried vainly to defend their loved ones.

Shen watched it all with glowing satisfaction in his eyes. A shrieking villager ran past him, and he sank his blade into their chest, and smirked as he fell dead, his life's blood staining the dirt red.

He strolled nonchalantly through the chaos. Fires burned left and right, and the streets were littered with dead and wounded. He loved it. This was his enemy's home; there was no greater pleasure then to watch it bleed.

He would turn the Valley of Peace into the Valley of Pieces. He laughed at his little joke.

He passed a poster boasting of the Dragon Warrior. He set it on fire. Spite really was fun.

"_WHY?" _a wounded villager shrieked at him. "What have we done to you?"

"You exist." Shen left the villager in his suffering.

As he walked, Shen glanced up. In the distance he could make out the illustrious Jade Palace, far off atop a mountain. His smile deepened. His time of reckoning was drawing near.

He came upon a small restaurant that boasted several posters of the Dragon Warrior and the Five. Curious, Shen slipped inside.

**XxX**

**A/N: Oh, look, the plot is moving, hur hur hur. So intense. Where's Po, you ask? What's Po doing, you say? Why is Shen such a freaking weirdo, you cry? All these answers, and more then you could ever want, are available in the next chapter! I have no idea when that will be! **

**I love you all. You, specifically. Yes, you, right there. I'm pointing at you. Take a few moments of your time, and review, my padawans. That's all I need. Your kind words are the fuel in my rocketship. We will make this great undertaking together, as a team. This is a team effort. I'm doing this for you. Because I love you :')... with all my heart. Faretheewell, my lovelies.**


	5. Fire

**A/N: I am so psyched to get this chapter out, yet I hated writing it so much. This was such a hard chapter to write. I know it's been a while, but, quality over quantity, amiright?**

**Awesomesauce12. Mi amigo. You wrote such a lovely review, but I can't reply to it! And, sorry, but I'm kinda already internet-engaged to my soulmate LTspade, so...**

**And thank you to all my lovely reviewers! If I didn't reply to you last chapter, apologies, just try again this chapter! **

**I hope you enjoy this. I work my butt off for you guys. Srsly. The least you can do now is have a proper soundtrack going while you read this.**

**This chapter was inspired by "Shifu Faces Tai Lung" by Hans Zimmer and John Powell. But I would also suggest "Muse" by Uprising, or anything off the KFP soundtrack, either movies.**

**Speaking of WHICH: I just saw KFP2 again and it got me all psyched up to write this! Yay! Recently I started obsessing about Crane... for... some reason, and someday I might write a story about him. Or a oneshot with Po training with the Furious Five. Doesn't that sound ridiculously awesome?**

**Don't forget that this is _humanized! _**

**Without further adeu, I humbly present you... chapter five.**

**XxX**

It was strange sometimes how Po's senses worked, especially in the morning. For instance, if someone was cooking in the kitchen, he could hear it from a mile off. But if Shifu was holding early training, and was screaming at Po to wake up, Po wouldn't hear a thing. Crane called it "selective"; Tigress called it "obstinate".

The sound that woke him up this particular night was the crackling of flames. It wasn't the first time fire had woke him up; there had been the time Mantis had somehow set the kitchen on fire, and Po had been awake and on the scene faster than anyone else. No one else had even heard the fire from the sleeping quarters, but he had. It wasn't so much that he had _heard _it; _sensed _it would be more accurate.

But Po knew instantly, the moment he was yanked out of sleep, that this wasn't an ordinary kitchen fire. For one, this fire was way further away, miles almost. And it was _huge, _or so he could tell.

Po burst out of the sleeping quarters, launched down the stairs, and skidded to a halt in the courtyard. There was no fire, not that he could see. So the fire wasn't in the Jade Palace.

He practically slid down the stairs leading to the gate. There was a horrible sinking feeling growing in his stomach, it was almost nauseating. He threw open the doors, and stood in shock. The view, usually cheery, was horrifying. He almost threw up.

The Valley of Peace was on fire. Scores of bonfires dotted the landscape; some rose hundreds of feet high. They stood out starkly in the inky darkness.

Dark figures flitted in between the fires. Some carried torches, and the flames glinted off gleaming metallic weapons. They ran through the streets, yelling raucous battle cries and jeering at the villagers. Po could see it all in sickening detail.

The worst part was the screams. The shrieking cries of hundreds of terrified villagers could be made out distinctly over the fire. Hundreds of screaming voices crying out for… him? No, it wasn't just for him—it was for anyone. They just wanted someone to save them.

Po started running down the steps- two at a time. Wasn't it such a coincidence that—

He stopped. It was hardly a coincidence at all. Shifu had sent the Five away and now three days later…

A horrible, terrifying idea struck him. Had someone set this up? Were the Five…?

He tried very, very, hard to reject this idea. The Five were the strongest warriors he knew. There was no way someone could have gotten rid of them that easy. They were _legendary_; you don't just… kill… legends. And maybe he was overreacting. Maybe this _was _just a coincidence, and they were off kicking bandit butt, just like they said they were. This attack was just incredible timing. Yeah. That was it.

But, Five or no Five, the Valley of Peace was in chaos. And there was just him.

So there was only one thing to decide now. Turn back and find Master Shifu, or help what villagers he could. Po wanted so badly to take the second option, but he was only one warrior, and there could be hundreds down there. Even the Dragon Warrior—especially _this _Dragon Warrior—couldn't take on an army. Master Shifu would at least have a plan. Even if Master Shifu didn't yet know what was happening, Po had to go find him and figure out what to do. Shifu it was.

He pulled himself back together. Now that he had rationalized, something new had taken root in his core. It was quickly overtaking the nausea and extending to every corner of his being, like a spark on a fuse.

Cold, hard, rage.

This wasn't like when Shen had laid waste to Gongmen City all those months ago; he had been angry, then, but it had been his duty as the Dragon Warrior to defend all the people of China. That had barely scratched the surface of his emotional minefield.

But this was his _home; his_ turf. This new enemy dared bring the fight to _him_, and they were about to find out just how far you could push the Dragon Warrior before all hell broke loose.

All this time he had stood on the steps in shock. He shook himself out of it. But as he started back up the steps a single detail caught his attention. In that moment something he had been repressing in the back of his mind, refusing to consider, surfaced explosively. There was a plume of smoke rising from the direction of Mr. Ping's noodle shop. His dad was somewhere in the carnage.

All thoughts of Shifu, logic, and reason blew out of his mind like smoke. His anger hit him like a punch to his stomach, and all the pent-up fury went off like an explosive. He took off down the steps.

**XxX**

It was just a noodle shop, as Shen had expected. The fire hadn't gotten to it yet, but the tables and chairs were knocked aside from a crowd of people leaving in a hurry.

There was a lot –a _lot_—of Dragon Warrior paraphernalia around. There was a poster on one wall displaying the Dragon Warrior, and (this confused Shen greatly) a _mop _was displayed proudly on another.

"Curious," Shen mused. He felt that there was some connection he was missing.

He passed from the seating area into the kitchen. It was like any other kitchen, Shen didn't pay it any mind except for one decoration in a corner. It was a paper lamp decorated with a drawing of a young boy and a man Shen guessed was his father. Grandfather. Some relation. So the shopkeeper had a son, or had had a son. Hmm.

Upstairs was even more boring. Shen would have been done with it entirely and burned it all down had he not found one room surprisingly interesting. It looked like a bedroom/storage room complex, with pots and pans stacked by the walls, and a sleeping mat in one corner. It clearly wasn't the shopkeeper's bedroom; he had passed that on his way here. Was it the bedroom of a son, or an apprentice, perhaps?

An apprentice obsessed with the Furious Five, apparently. There were posters on every wall, and the windowsill was lined with action figures. So- a shopkeeper immensely proud of the Dragon Warrior, and a son/apprentice obsessed with kung fu. What about that bothered him so much?

_That's _whenhe made the connection.

He turned and went back down the stairs, striding back into the kitchen. He pulled an explosive out of his robe.

He set it carefully, almost tenderly, on the counter. With wicked satisfaction he readied it.

He stood on the other side of the entrance as the little noodle shop burst into flames. Shen tucked his arms into his sleeves and watched his enemy's home crumble to the ground. It was immensely satisfying. A little piece of pure spite: he loved it.

There was a little noise to his right. Glancing down, he saw a diminutive little man was trying to sneak up on him. With a frying pan.

"My… you…" the little man sputtered. "You…"

Shen glanced back briefly at the burning building. "Oh, was this yours?" he smirked, "terribly sorry. I have a score to settle, you know. Nothing to do with _you,_ I hope you understand."

"My son…" the shop owner clutched his pan. "My son will find out about this-"

Shen looked directly at him for the first time. "Oh, yes, your _son._ The Dragon Warrior, no?" he smiled lazily. "Where _is _he, I wonder?"

The noodle shop owner's eyes widened. Presumably he had either assumed Shen hadn't realized the Dragon Warrior was related to him, or didn't know who the Dragon Warrior was at all. _That_ meant that this small man didn't know who he, Shen, was. All the better.

"Mr.…. Ping, no?" Shen drawled, trying to cover up the fact that he had just read the name off the top of the entrance. He fingered his sword. "Well, Mr. Ping, there's some business I have with the Dragon Warrior, see, and it's rather imperative." The flames flashed off his blade. "Extremely imperative, I should say. Are we in understanding?"

Mr. Ping seemed to grow very in control of himself. "I'm sure he'll be around here somewhere," He said icily. The implication was clear.

"Is that so?" Shen breathed. "Then I'll have no further need of _you, _will I?" the sword flashed wholly orange as he raised it. Mr. Ping, to his credit, didn't even blink.

"_Shen." _

Shen spun around, and felt a flash of rage sear through him as he appraised the speaker. He also felt surprise. It was the Dragon Warrior, but… it wasn't.

This wasn't the bumbling, happy-go-lucky man that had beaten Shen in Gongmen City. _This _man was stock-still, straight-backed, with a deadly serious stance. His eyes flashed, mirroring the burning building just to his left. He was _very _angry.

"Well, well," he quickly smoothed over his sudden unease. "_You _certainly took your time. Didn't you notice your village was burning down?"

The Dragon Warrior ignored this. "You coward," he frowned. "Did you misread the signs? This is the Valley of _Peace._"

Shen smiled. "Yes, I noticed. Strange, isn't it that no one has ever tried this before? Well, that other fellow- Tai Lung, wasn't it?—obviously did some damage, but he didn't seem to do much damage… are you listening to me?"

Po wasn't. While Shen went into monologue-mode, he had exchanged a covert glance with his father, whom Shen had appeared to have forgotten. Mr. Ping gave Po a nod, and a silent understanding passed between them.

When he had seen his home burning he had been angry. When he had seen Shen he'd been angrier. Seeing Shen in the noodle shop was almost enough to push him off the mental deep end.

But despite his anger-, and extreme confusion: hell, you didn't see your alleged worst enemy back from the dead every day—Po recognized one thing: he needed to get Shen away from the villagers. He would consider the implications of Shen being _here _and the Furious Five being _not here_, later.

Without a second thought he turned and took off in the direction he'd come.

Behind him he heard Shen following—just as he knew he would. The man cared more about fighting Po than he did exacting revenge against a little noodle shop.

Po vaulted over the detritus littering the streets, avoiding what villagers—alive and dead—he could and body-slamming the mercenaries in his way. He hit the Palace stairs at a dead run.

As soon as he cleared the gates—and was thus safely away from all the villagers—Po struck. He spun around and roundhouse kicked Shen square in the chest, slamming him back into the gates that had just shut behind him.

Po had held out directly fighting Shen previously because Po had one advantage. Shen didn't know the extent of Po's strength- when they'd last fought, Po had been way out of shape. He had lost nearly a hundred pounds since then.

It paid off. He could definitely see the surprise in Shen's face. But it didn't last long. Shen snarled and swung his sword at Po's chest.

Po twisted aside and back-flipped up the stairs, gaining ground. Shen followed.

They fought up the stairs. Shen pressed mercilessly, his blade flashing as it nearly decapitated Po several times over. Po was forced into the defensive, as he was unarmed and couldn't find an opening to strike.

In this manner they reached the Palace gate. It was already slightly ajar; Po hadn't bothered to close it when he'd dashed down the stairs.

There was only one thing to do now. Po made a mad dash for the Hall of Heroes, where all the good weapons were. Shen followed closely on his heels.

The tiles in the Hall of Heroes were freshly polished, and Po slid a little as he burst in. He came to an uneasy stop and, without turning, "Getting hit with a beam just doesn't kill people like it used to, you know." He turned around slowly to face Shen, who had all but glided into the hall. The bluish tint in the room reflected against Shen's all-white robe.

Shen didn't even smile. "You should try harder next time. Do it yourself."

"I intend to," he was covertly scanning the hall for a likely looking weapon.

He didn't get the chance. One moment Shen was completely still, and the next his blade was flashing at Po's legs. A well-timed jump saved him from amputation.

Suddenly it felt like the power in the room was flowing into the corners of Po's being. His anger, temporarily stayed by the fight, was washed out as a great peace settled into him, sharpening his mind and bringing clarity of focus.

There was something else, too. There was something trickling out of the hole in his being that had appeared three days ago, something warm and… powerful. And as he defended himself against Shen's attacks it all began to pour out in a rush. He curled his hands into fists, and blue fire flickered on his knuckles.

Abandoning all defense, Po lashed out at Shen. His hands were fully aflame now, and Shen, completely shocked at what he was seeing, was forced to retreat a few steps. Another fiery kick and Po sent the blade singing out of Shen's hand.

Shen froze, and they both stood staring at each other. The flames dripped off Po's hands. Then Shen smiled.

"You think it's going to be that easy, Dragon Warrior?" He made no move to retrieve his sword.

Po frowned. "I-" he was cut off as something smashed into the back of his head. His vision went startlingly white, then everything went black.

**XxX**

Shen made a smooth step to the side as the Dragon Warrior fell unconscious at his feet, ringed by the shards of a shattered vase. There was a trickle of blood at the back of his head.

Shen considered him a moment. "Thank you, Zeng."

The handle of the shattered urn was clenched in the messenger's white-knuckled hand. The Messenger Goose had been hidden behind a pillar. "A-anything, Lord Sh- Lord Shen."

"Yes." Shen scooped up his sword. "And now…" the blue lighting of the hall reflected off the blade as he angled it toward the comatose warrior.

"L-Lord Shen?"

Shen looked up, annoyed. "What."

"Wouldn't it… be… b-better to keep him alive?"

"Why?" Shen raised an eyebrow.

"He… he might be…"

"Useful?" Shen mused. "Hmm. Maybe so." A bitterly tense moment passed as he considered it. Then, "You're right, amazingly enough." He tucked his sword away. "Run to my lieutenant, would you? Tell him to halt the attack."

"Yes, my lord."

Once he was alone, Shen began to laugh. He stroked an ornate pillar "A _proper _execution would lighten their spirits, certainly?"

High above his head someone stirred. Master Shifu passed his hand over his face sadly. "I'm sorry, Po," he whispered, then turned and silently disappeared into the dark.

**XxX**

**A/N: Patience, my lovelies. If you're confused, it's because I _want _you to be confused. Comprenden? Await the next chapter with much anticipation, darlings, it will be here sooner than last time! Maybe! Hopefully! **

**If you simply favorite this, I _will _find you.**

**Now that you're done reading _this, _pop a review out, then hop over to my soulmate LTspade's story "The Last Farewell Ride", it's seriously awesome. There's a new chapter out, (hee*, I'm so excited.**

**Wouldn't it be cool if this were a webcomic? I draw KFP characters incessantly, I should be able to make a webcomic. Hmm. **

**Until next time, my dears!**


	6. Like a Good Neighbor

**A/N: So, this one time, I was looking through fanarts, and I saw one of a Po/Tigress offspring. She was a white tiger, 'cause, you know, tiger + panda =white tiger. I felt ridiculous, because I had always thought white tigers were just another breed of tiger. And then there were Crane/Viper offsprings, and they were snakes. Strike me, but, thinking in animal terms here... what? How the _hell...?_ I have just realized the subliminal justification of the humanizing in my story. Whew.**

**SO- Chapter six. A day _after _I had planned to have it posted, but there ya go. At least it's within the one-week range, and not _two _weeks. I'm always thinking of you guys. The things I do for you.**

**No specific song for this chapter, I'm afraid. Mostly because it's all dialogue and introspection. I love introspection. And someone has to think of poor Mr. Ping, right?**

**I love you all, I really do. From the bottom of my heart, you are the fuel to my writing flames. But would you _please _nitpick! You're all so _nice, _could you... I don't know... pick apart the grammar, look for plot holes, _something? _Haha, I love you all, really.**

**I would name all my lovely reviewers, but, you know who you are :). My lovelies. **

**Erm, that's all I have to say. Kick back, loyal readers, get some snacks, put on your favorite soundtracks. Let's get started.**

**(Remember: Humanized!)**

**XxX**

The sun shone blearily through the heavy smog, casting a pale light on the blackened detritus. Smoke hung heavily in the smelly air, and the tiled streets ran with black rainwater. It had rained rather heavily in the early morning, putting out the worst of the fires. Heaping piles of scorched wood were all that remained of some buildings; others smoked faintly.

Wary villagers huddled in the remains of their homes; only mercenaries remained, prowling the deserted streets with lazy efficiency.

But they were easy to avoid. Mr. Ping clutched a bundle of blankets to his chest and ducked around a corner as a rather wiry one sauntered by. As he passed Mr. Ping slipped behind him and padded in the other direction.

He picked his way tenderly around the blackened remains, silently mourning what was left of his fair village.

He arrived at his destination, a small storefront, and knocked gently three times on the door. The door cracked open perhaps two inches and a wary face looked out at him.

"Tin," Mr. Ping held up a blanket, "I brought this for your children."

"Bless you, Ping," Tin smiled shakily. He took the blanket.

"Are you all safe?" Mr. Ping asked.

"We hid in the cellar," Tin replied. He glanced nervously up and down the street. "Are they all still out there?"

Mr. Ping nodded sadly. "Stay inside. I will be bringing food around later."

Tin nodded and pulled the door shut.

Mr. Ping sighed and bundled up his remaining blankets. After a furtive glance up and down the street he slipped away.

Once he reached the river he practically dashed over the bridge, wary for mercenaries. The water was filthy and black.

As Mr. Ping walked through an alley he noticed there was a man huddled in a doorway, his dirty shirt blending in with the walls.

"Haru?" he said under his breath, kneeling down next to him.

The man recognized him. "Mr. Ping?" his bleary eyes filled with relief. "I heard the noodle shop was razed: rumor was that you went down with it!"

Mr. Ping smiled sadly. "No, I'm still here." He handed Haru a blanket. "You should get somewhere where it is safe, Haru."

Haru shook his head. "No where's safe."

Mr. Ping patted his shoulder. "Don't think like that. I'm alive, aren't I?" when Haru didn't respond, Mr. Ping continued, more seriously, "Is your family safe?"

Haru nodded. "I left them with some neighbors. Their house was one of the ones least damaged."

Mr. Ping frowned. "Why are you not with them?"

"I-"Haru faltered. "I thought…. one less mouth to feed…"

"Nonsense." Mr. Ping scolded. "Nothing is more important right now than to be with your family." But as he said this, an image of Po flashed in his mind. He choked down an insurgence of panic. "Be safe," he managed to smile shakily, patted Haru on the shoulder, and continued on his way.

Mr. Ping went to three more houses that evening, bringing blankets, advice, and condolences. The tallied number of friends he had lost the day previously was steadily rising with every house he visited. It weighed on him like bricks on his back.

He returned to his home at a little after midnight. The heavy rain at last night's early dawn had extinguished the flames, but the main structure was completely destroyed. The main seating area was still intact, if not a little singed. This was where Mr. Ping was now sleeping.

A table knocked on its side, top facing the entrance, provided with shelter from prying mercenaries. Once safely out of sight, Mr. Ping curled up against the wood and closed his eyes. And thought.

Mr. Ping was a simple man. His love for his son was also simple, and pure, just as he loved his noodle shop and he loved his neighbors.

In the face of the horrific tragedy they all now faced, Mr. Ping remained resolute and had put on the face of a stalwart businessman- and caring neighbor. But on the inside he was quailing. Inside, he had the heart of a terrified parent.

Yes, Po was adopted. But, in face of their peers' skepticism, he and Po had come to the joint understanding long ago that being the biological parent did _not _mean you were the _true _parent—it was whoever raised you that earned the title of _father._

When Po had returned from Gongmen City all those months ago, with his newfound knowledge, Mr. Ping had been afraid that Po would decide to leave him and seek out his true parents. But Po had had but three words for him, and to Mr. Ping they had meant the entire world.

"_I'm your son." _

The subject had never been approached, but Mr. Ping knew from simple observation of his son that Po's parents were dead. But he never asked.

An image floated to Mr. Ping's mind of Po silhouetted against the flames of the noodle shop, and a terrible cold feeling filled Mr. Ping's chest. Mr. Ping had always been able to face reality, and the reality now was that Po knew what he was doing. But Mr. Ping was a father. And Mr. Ping worried.

There had been no word of him since he had led that strange silver-haired man away from the village. While Mr. Ping had no clue as to the white-robed man's identity, Po's tense demeanor and cold attitude had told it all: he was a very, _very, _dangerous man. And so Mr. Ping worried.

He thought that perhaps if he could get just a hint of what was happening, the ache in his chest would find some closure… but he didn't think so.

Mr. Ping trusted his son, so he realized that he could best help the situation by staying out of the way, and helping the Valley. But Mr. Ping worried.

**XxX**

Po felt, waking up, as if Master Thundering Rhino was using his hammer to try and kill a fly on the back of his head, unsuccessfully, and that while that was going on porcupines were jumping rope, badly, inside his skull. He groaned.

The next sensation was that he couldn't move his arms. This was troubling, but Po couldn't fathom why.

He was standing; leaning against something, something rounded. The fact that he was standing at all, Po mused, was somehow connect to him not being able to use his arms. Hm.

He had dreamed about fire, Po recalled. First he had watched something- (something important?)- burning, then he himself had been burning. But it had been _blue _fire. And it had felt…good.

His headache was retreating into a dull throb, and his senses gradually returned. He recognized where he was: the training hall in the Jade Palace, oddly enough. And he was standing against… no, _tied to, _a pillar.

What he couldn't connect was why… _oh_.

It all came rushing back. He was tied up because he had been unconscious. He had been unconscious because Shen had knocked him out. Shen had knocked him out because they'd been fighting. They'd been fighting because Shen had…

…Burned down his village. His village. _His _village, the one he was sworn to protect.

The empty feeling inside him was back. It yawned wider and wider, and it felt like Po would eventually be sucked inside, and he would spiral deeper and deeper into a black nothing that would swallow him up entirely. All that would be left is—

_No. _

Po wasn't going to just curl up and die- (metaphorically, since he wasn't going to be doing any 'curling' anytime soon) - and this wasn't the end. He needed to pull himself together and figure out what the _hell _was going on. He could wallow in his own misery _later._

He closed his eyes, and breathed deep. He brought to mind a calming view of his father's noodle shop: whole and bustling, full of customers. It was a very peaceful vision.

He settled back and let this cool him off. But it was disrupted when another renegade vision floated out of his consciousness: a vision of none other than Tigress. And it wasn't just Tigress; it was Tigress as he's always thought of her in his dreams: curvy, beautiful, enchanting. And smiling. She always looked so much nicer when she smiled.

Po started, shaking the vision out of his mind. What a time for _those _kinds of thoughts to surface.

He pushed that—Tigress, his noodle shop, his headache—to the back of his mind. Implementing his inner pace techniques, he cleared his mind completely and began to meditate.

A few hours passed. Visions of various things passed across his consciousness: the Five, Master Shifu, radishes. Until his peace was shattered irrevocably by sound of the training room doors slamming open.

Po opened his eyes as Shen swept in. 'Swept' was really the only word for it, as Shen's robes were floor-length and made a '_shh' _sound wherever Shen went. And Shen went everywhere so fast, Po mused idly, it really was like a broom action sometimes. Would Shen start making 'sweeping gestures', too?

The doors slammed shut again behind Shen, who glided forward (_Now he's gliding_, Po thought. _What next?_) to stand in front of Po, regarding him. "I see you're awake," he said coolly.

"Yes," Po replied. "But aren't you late? Aren't you, like, supposed to be here right when I wake up? When I, like, have a headache and am all confused and everything? Isn't that how super-villains are supposed to do it?"

"You're blathering," Shen quirked an eyebrow.

"I talk when I'm emotional, sometimes," Po said seriously, "Like, when I'm sad, happy, pissed… I also eat. No—I only eat when I'm upset. No, wait, that's just when I'm hungry. No, wait-"

"Shut up," Shen said mildly. Po stopped talking, amused.

"Thank you." Shen rolled his eyes. "And it's not as if I was inclined to stand here and watch you sleep for six hours. You're extremely uninteresting when you sleep."

Po grinned. "Were you expecting me to sleep-talk? Divulge the deep secrets of my tormented soul?" he looked around the room. "Why the training room?" he asked. "Are you going to try and torture me with the training equipment? Because… Master Shifu beat you to it."

He looked back at Shen and with a start noticed that he was standing a lot closer than before.

"What I never noticed," Shen was studying him, "is that I'm taller than you. You were so much bigger six months ago… I think I assumed you were just generally bigger than me."

"Yes, I, um…" Po was slightly uncomfortable, "people tell me I really slimmed down…"

"Undoubtedly." Shen was still gazing at him critically. "My Wolves are at this moment prowling your Valley of Peace. Your precious Five are nowhere to be seen. What does that tell you?"

"Don't play innocent, Shen," Po sneered. "I _know _you somehow planned it so that they wouldn't be here."

"Precisely." Shen sneered right back. "And if I planned it that far, how do you know they're even alive?"

Po snorted. "What did you do? Send an assassin after them? Like the Furious Five are going to be hung up by _ten _assassins, let alone _one._"

Shen smirked. "Then, by all means, where are they?"

Po faltered. "… They ran into an accident on the road? You know how traffic is…"

Shen laughed coldly. "Face it, Dragon Warrior. They're dead. Better accept it."

Po didn't respond. Shen ran a hand over his hair, then, "you have three days. We'll see if they show up… before _you_ die." He turned and glided away, throwing open the door and sweeping out. And this time, Po found nothing funny about the gesture.

He raked his eyes over the training room. It wasn't that he thought anything in it could help him, it was just that everything in it reminded him of _them. _And he missed them. He knew, deep down, he really was very worried about them.

**XxX**

**A/N: I'm always leaving you hanging in regards to the Furious Five, aren't I. But remember this: it takes approximately three days to get from the mountain village to the Valley. Consider _that. _**

**Review, please! I promise I will respond to every one! I want to get to know every one of you!**

**And if you simply favorite, I WILL find you. *Glare* **

**Oh, and though no one ever commented on this, the first chapter (the prologue) was a _direct _homage to Lord of the Rings. You know, Legolas was walking on the snow and everyone was all *grumblegrumble*stupid elf*grumblegrumble*. You know, Crane was walking on the snow, and... yeah? Yeah? Did no one pick up on that...**

**Until next time, my darlings!**


	7. We're a Team

**A/N: One of my dearest dreams is that the panda I cuddle with every night will pull on a pair of shorts, grow to massive size, and begin referring to himself as 'Po.' Also, that a certain point-man will barge in through my bedroom door, pull me into his arms, and whisk me away to a world of rotating hallways and three-piece suits. Ah, dreams.**

**This is chapter seven! This marks the halfway point! It's all planned out, and there's going to be fourteen chapters! Did you hear that! Fourteen chapters!**

**Yeah, this was never going to be a long story. But, never fear! I have potential stories/sequels planned for after this! **

**This chapter is dedicated in part to Kristenthekittykat, who wanted more Furious Five. Here you go, my dear. This is also dedicated to LTspade, my internet-fiance, who's updates I am currently coordinating with mine! (The Last Farewell Ride- go read it.)**

**Song of the chapter: "Tai Lung escapes", scored by Hans Zimmer and John Powell, on the KFP soundtrack. **

**Not much else to say here... I truly hope you enjoy. This chapter was an ass to write. I hope you know that I'm staying up past my bedtime to get this out to y'all. **

**Enjoy!**

**XxX**

They slipped in under the cover of darkness. The night hid them like a cloak as they slipped in-between buildings, using the decrepit structures as cover from probing eyes.

It was reminiscent of their very first mission as a team, Tigress reflected. It had been a night very much like this one: Shifu had instructed them to infiltrate a village that had been invaded by bandits. The only difference was that the houses in that village had all been standing and intact. Here, not so much.

The brief glances she got at the others' faces told her they were all thinking the same thing: what the _hell_?

The three days it had taken them to hike down the mountain and trek back to the Valley had been filled with tense, frayed nerves, and short tempers. Tigress had driven them at a breakneck pace, pausing very little- mostly for emergencies like Mantis falling in a snowdrift and being lost for a little over ten minutes when no one noticed, and Crane's wound opening up out of nowhere while they were getting directions in a merchant's outpost.

The villages they had passed on the way in could only tell them that there had been a lot of smoke. In truth, the closest village _was _rather far away, and nothing could be made out clearly. At this point Tigress' fears were all but confirmed, and it had taken the combined efforts of Crane and Viper to prevent her from torturing more information from the hapless villagers.

Their first glimpse of the smoke over the Valley was about five miles out. The Five had just crossed the rope bridges (with some difficulty, as it hadn't been fully repaired yet), and from that vantage they had gotten a good look. The sheer horror from that one glimpse had almost been enough to break Tigress out of her emotional shell; but she had kept her cool… barely. The others hadn't been so lucky; Monkey had been physically ill.

But even she had to admit that she was ready to crack. Darting through the streets, being forced to hide in _her own _village had almost been too much for Tigress. And she still didn't know what in China was going on.

Ahead of her, Viper was sliding around a corner, her back pressed against a wall. She craned her neck tentatively around the edge; getting a good look back… and abruptly she whipped back around, hissing "get back, get back!" frantically.

They ducked hurriedly into a corner shop, yanking the door shut as two Wolves turned the corner and sauntered past. However, they hadn't entered the store, they quickly realized, only the store back-room. It was tiny, and the five of them were practically piled on top of each other. They hardly dared to move, and held their breath as the mercenaries passed.

The tense moment passed. The Wolves' footsteps and hoarse guffaws faded off into the distance. Everyone breathed, and realized, suddenly, how awkward the situation was.

"Well, this sucks," Monkey said from the bottom of the pile. They all looked at him. "…That the Valley is trashed," he made a face.

"This really doesn't look good," Crane commented. An awkward silence fell. He rolled his eyes. "Focus, guys."

"The Wolves really settle it, don't they?" Viper spoke up. She was crushing Monkey's legs, and Mantis was sitting on her stomach. "It's Shen's work."

"Exactly," Mantis agreed. Crane's hip was in his gut. "So what do we do now?"

"We find Po," Monkey said. "Right?"

"Right." Tigress confirmed. She was on top of the pile, and somehow she had landed directly on top of Crane. "But I think we should make a stop first."

**XxX**

"We're making a snack stop?" Mantis whispered, when they arrived at their destination. They were hunkered down next to a tall stone wall

"_Shhh!" _Tigress hissed. "Can't you, for once in your life, stop treating everything like a joke? We're doing this because Po would want us to be sure."

"Sorry," Mantis ran a hand over his hair. "Comic relief. Things were getting a little tense, so I cracked a Po."

"_What?" _Tigress frowned.

"You know," Mantis shrugged. "It sounded like something Po would say."

"Just be quiet," Tigress rolled her eyes. "I thought I heard some mercenaries a street over." She gestured to Monkey. "You first."

"Right-o," Monkey straightened and scanned the wall for likely cracks. Digging his bare toes into a crack, he vaulted himself up and began to climb, expertly navigating from foothold to foothold.

Once Monkey's dark form, silhouetted against the moonlight, disappeared over the top of the wall, Tigress nodded to Viper, who hastened to follow Monkey.

A few minutes later Tigress landed gracefully on the balls of her feet behind the remains of a shattered potted plant, next to the others.

"Okay," Tigress whispered. She stood up slowly. "Looks deserted. Let's check in the-" she was cut short as a flying pan flew straight at her head, narrowly missing her as she hurriedly ducked back down. The pan clattered noisily as it struck the wall behind her.

"Whoa!" her heart was hammering hard against her chest.

"Who's there?" a voice called from across the courtyard. "I have a knife!"

Crane's eyes widened. "That sounds like…"

Tigress nodded, relief flooding her nerves. Trying to keep the pot between her and potential deadly projectiles, she started to stand up again.

But she was forced to hunker back down as a mixing bowl flew past her head and shattered against the wall.

"We're friends!" she called out.

"Don't shoot!" Mantis begged.

"Friends?" the voice seemed thoughtful, "friends of whom?"

Satisfied for the moment that she wasn't going to be brained with kitchenware, Tigress came out from behind the plant, keeping her hands visible. "It's us, the Furious Five."

For a moment nothing happened. Then, from behind a table that had been knocked sideways, a man came into view, a suspicious look on his face.

"Mr. Ping," Tigress' simile was perfectly genuine.

The suspicion melted away. "Master Tigress!" Mr. Ping exclaimed. "It is truly a joy to see you well! And I presume the other masters are back there as well?"

"Is it safe?" Mantis called from behind the pot.

"Yes," Tigress replied. She turned back to Mr. Ping. "Is there somewhere where we can talk safely?"

"Yes… yes." Mr. Ping gestured to the kitchen. "There's not much left… but…"

"That'll do." Tigress smiled.

The kitchen was mostly a blackened mess. What used to be the counter was now blocked off by fallen debris from the roof, providing a somewhat ashy shelter from prying eyes.

Once everyone was settled Tigress got down to business. "Mr. Ping, I need you to tell us what's going on."

Mr. Ping was quiet, and then seemed to collect himself. "It happened without warning. It was a night just like any other, about three days ago, and I was closing my shop. They attacked from the south, I think, and targeted the most populated areas. They didn't ask questions, take prisoners, anything, they just started killing and burning. I hid in my shop for a little while, and then I realized that my neighbors next door had been out, and that their children were home alone. So I went to make sure they were all right and help them hide. When I came back to my shop was on fire, and there was a strange white-robed man outside watching it burn."

Tigress shared a significant glance with the other Five. _Shen, _Crane mouthed. Tigress nodded, and then turned back to Mr. Ping as he continued.

"I had had a pan in my hand," he said. "I was prepared, if I may be cliché, to 'go down with my ship', as it were." He paused before continuing. "He saw me. He asked me where Po was. When I didn't answer he seemed prepared to kill me. That's when Po showed up."

Unconsciously, Tigress felt herself lean forward, in tense anticipation. Out of the corner of her eye she saw similar reactions from the others.

"There was some banter." Mr. Ping's voice was growing quieter. "I didn't really understand it. Po called him 'Shen'. I don't know if that name is familiar to you." he paused again. "Then Po looked at me, and, I… I gave him a nod, as if to… to tell him to do what he had to." Mr. Ping's hands were shaking. "Then… then Po ran off, and the man followed him. I haven't seen him or heard word of him since."

Mr. Ping was silent for a moment. "Po was… I don't know how to explain this. Po was angry. Very, very, angry… and… and it almost didn't seem like Po. He seemed like… a warrior." Mr. Ping looked ready to break down into tears.

"Mr. Ping," Tigress said gently. "Po _is _a warrior."

"Yes," Mr. Ping said shakily. "But not like… not like you five. He was always different from all of you. But, in that moment, he was… cold. Cold and hard, very much like, if I may say so- _you, _Master Tigress."

Tigress was silent as she digested this. But before she could respond, Viper broke the silence. "Do you think he's alive, Mr. Ping?"

"Yes." Mr. Ping said, firmly, as if he was regaining control of himself. "I think—I _know _he's alive. I'm his father, I… I… I would know."

Crane spoke up gently, "Do you think he's in the Jade Palace?"

Mr. Ping nodded. "If he was anywhere, anywhere at all, he would be there."

Tigress nodded thoughtfully. "Mr. Ping, sir, if you wouldn't mind, we'll stay here for the night."

"But, of course, of course!" Mr. Ping exclaimed. "You'll stay here as long as you like!"

"Thank you." Tigress nodded respectfully. Then she turned to her companions. "All of you—get some sleep: if Po's at the Jade Palace, then more likely than not, Shen's there, too. We'll need to be ready."

They nodded, and began to move about, finding comfortable places to lie down. Tigress turned for the door. "I'll be outside."

"Be careful," Viper implored. Tigress nodded, and slipped out.

Mr. Ping glanced at the remaining four warriors. "If you'll excuse me, I have some food to distribute. Good night to you all." They nodded. Mr. Ping picked up a box, nodded to them, and ducked out.

As Monkey and Viper began to settle down, Mantis looked across at Crane, who was rubbing his arm absently. "How is it?"

"Largely fine," Crane said absentmindedly. "It didn't start hurting again, really, until that near-death experience at the rope bridge."

"Let me see it." Mantis went to sit down next to his friend, who pushed up his sleeve to bare the bandages wrapped around his upper arm.

"You think Po is okay?" Viper said sleepily from the corner.

"We'll find out," Monkey said simply, curled up facing a wall.

"He's probably starving," Mantis mused. "But, then, isn't he always?" and Crane chuckled.

Up above them, on the roof, Tigress sat perched on the tiles, facing towards the Jade Palace. "We're coming, Po." She murmured, watching the stars twinkle through the heavy smoke obscuring her home.

**XxX**

**A/N: I had one reviewer complain about cliffhangers... boy... y'all are gonna HATE me next chapter, if you think this is bad... **

**No, I'm serious. You're gonna DESPISE me. As in, want to rip my guts out and EAT them. Oh, boy, sh*t (excuse my french) goes down next chapter...**

**Someday in the future, possibly starting next chapter, I'm going to take one-shot ideas from you guys and post them drabble-style in a story. If you have any ideas on how I should handle an idea like that, tell me :) **

**Review, my lovelies! I love each and every one of you to death. Till next time!**


	8. Hello, Everyone

**A/N: Well, hi guys. This isn't a real chapter, I'm sorry to say.**

**What it _is, _is a plea for forgiveness. I know it's been a while, and, trust me, it's been killing me. The problem is, I _cannot _update this weekend, and quite possibly the first part of this coming week.**

**Why? Because of a goddamn project that's been hovering over my head for some time now that I _have _to get done. I won't be able to write at all until it's out of my hair and I can get on with my life.**

**What does that mean for you guys? It means that you'll have to hang tight for a little while longer. Once this _damn _project is over with, I promise you with all my heart that I'll write you the best damn chapter you ever did read. You'll weep with its beauty. This I do swear.**

_**Thank you**_**, everyone, for the incredible reviews. There was indeed (and it makes me so excited to be able to say this) a backlog of reviews, and I might not have replied to everyone that could be replied to. I love you all, I really do, and I would never abandon this story, I promise.**

**I do have the first part of the chapter written, and am posting it here. I highly encourage you _not _to review this chapter, as when I have the rest written I will update it directly onto here, and you won't be able to post a second review. If you have anything to say to me; questions, comments, complaints, please PM me. I look forward to hearing from you. **

**I hope you're all doing well and don't hate me too much for leaving you in the lurch like I did :) Love ya!**

**XxX**

"…Skirt the living quarters, kill the guards on the east side, and enter the Hall through the roof." Tigress finished. Silence fell as the others considered this quietly. The desecrated kitchen seemed to take their silence and stretch it to all corners of the room, deepening and hollowing it in its ashy embrace. Time stood still for a moment, and the Five remained frozen as they sensed it. It was a silence that ate at them, reminded them again and again of the severity of the situation.

"Okay," Mantis said finally, and the Five relaxed as the silence broke. "That sounds solid."

Viper and Crane nodded, but Monkey was silent, frowning as he drew a crude map in the dirt. "If we do that, we'll have to climb up the rock face."

Tigress nodded. "The east side is the least steep."

"But…" Viper gestured in the direction of the mountains. "It's a long climb, and if we're spotted partway up…"

"It's risky," Tigress admitted. "But this will be a dangerous venture all the way around."

"But won't climbing be…" Crane looked distinctly uncomfortable, "difficult?"

"You could stay behind," Viper smiled sympathetically.

"_No_." Tigress snapped. Everyone jumped. "We do not get separated." She continued, more gently. "Not at any point in this— understood?" everyone nodded.

Tigress stood up, stretching. She glanced out the window; just beyond the mountains the sun was just dipping into the horizon, orange tendrils of sunlight stretched warm fingers across the clouds. "It's almost nightfall," she told the others. "We'll leave at full dark." with that she strode out of the kitchen.

The small courtyard seemed at that moment, to Tigress, to be huge. Even in its ruin every aspect reminded her of Po. The corner where he sometimes sat reading on break days, the brick that stuck out slightly in the doorway that Po always somehow managed to run into, the scarred tiles that suffered constant abuse from Po dropping crockery.

If she closed her eyes she could imagine that the shop was back to the way it had been; Po behind the counter retelling some action story he loved or humming contentedly as he cooked: the only thing he loved doing more than eating. Tigress had always pretended she didn't care for his cooking; she couldn't quite bring herself to gush about his incredible dishes like the others. But the few times she did have a bowl, however, it wasn't the taste she savored. It was the incredible enthusiasm and love Po put into it. She loved the enthusiasm Po put into everything, she had to admit. This place… this shop… represented Po more than she had ever imagined. It was welcoming, generous, humble, and was always there when you needed someplace to go.

Tigress blinked away sudden tears. She frowned, angry. She never cried; no one and nothing had ever made her cry, ever. What was it about Po that brought out every one of her emotions?

Bitter rage struck her. She looked up and watched as the sun inched its way behind the mountains, deepening the orange streaked across the sky. Nightfall could not come faster. If Shen had done _anything _to her Po, she vowed, death would not even be enough for him.

**XxX**


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